Moment at Hand
by Stargazer3356
Summary: While trying to protect a phoenix's nest, the Three Caballeros fail to recognize Felldrake's trap. With Donald captured, our heroes must race to Felldrake's new evil lair before time runs out. Donald's life depends on it.
1. Chapter 1

Notes: This story takes place after the Season 1 finale. I really liked the song "Ready as I'll Ever Be" from the Tangled series and I wrote this with that song in mind. I changed the lyrics slightly to fit this story but I will include a link so you can hear what it sounds like. I hope you like it and thanks to all my friends on Discord who helped me write this story! Love you guys!

watch?v=BRbx6GTK71Y

* * *

"Why are we out here again?"

Donald grumbled as his foot slipped on the loose edge of the cliff they were scaling.

"Because we can't let Felldrake get his hands on the phoenix egg. Who knows what could happen if he harnessed its ability of reincarnation and immortality?"

Xandra called down from the top of the cliff. She was the first of the group to make it up and she sighed as the rest continued their struggle to climb the steep cliffside. Her eyes scanned the area while she waited. It was dense with foliage and flora. Trees expanded high in the sky, full of green leaves swishing in the wind. Bushes and flowers littered the ground, with the edge being the only place bare of plant life. Though she scanned for the barest hint of her foe, she found nothing.

"I hope this is not another trap."

José pulled himself over the edge. He waited for Panchito to join and then extended his umbrella for Donald. The two hefted the duck up and joined Xandra, who was now standing over the nest. She cast a protective magic barrier over it and beckoned the Caballeros closer.

"Can you guys add a little of your magic to the shield as well? That should be more than enough to prevent Felldrake from getting it."

The Caballeros formed a triangle around the nest and held their hands out. Each one concentrated on fortifying the shield. Their magic, each in their respective colors, joined in with the magic of the shield Xandra had cast.

"Great! I guess we can go then!"

The group gathered around Xandra and just as she started teleporting them away, a bolt of purple magic struck Donald, careening him from the group. The others screamed his name but their calls were cut off from teleporting away.

"Augh!"

Donald slammed into the dirt and slid several feet away. He saw another flash of purple before pain overwhelmed him.

* * *

"-ald!"

The group appeared in the foyer of the mansion. Xandra immediately started flipping pages in the book, trying to find the one that would take them back to the cliff.

"What's going on?"

April asked as she worriedly glanced at the group.

"And why isn't Donald with you?"

May added, looking between them as she waited for a response.

"Felldrake laid a trap for us. He separated us from Donald just as we were teleporting away. Since he wasn't close enough, he didn't get teleported along. Be prepared to fight when we arrive."

Xandra responded.

* * *

They teleported back to the cliff but found no one around. She remembered the direction the bolt came from and focused on scouting that area, bow in hand. Panchito and José went towards the blast mark and skid marks on the ground.

"Oh, no…"

Panchito whispered. Xandra turned to look at what Jose was holding. It was a burned sailor's hat. She growled and punched a nearby tree so hard it fell over.

"Darn it! I can't believe I fell for his trap!"

José and Panchito walked over to her.

"He must've been captured."

Panchito tucked the hat into his pocket.

"We don't even know where they are!"

José added. Xandra pulled the atlas out.

"Let's head back to the mansion. Hopefully, we'll be able to think of something."

* * *

Ari and the nieces were waiting for them when they reappeared. June covered her beak in horror as she noticed Donald still wasn't with them.

"Oh, no! What happened?"

Panchito sighed, "Donald was captured by Felldrake. We need to head to the cabana and see if we can find Felldrake on the map."

Everyone rushed to the cabana. However, the map for tracking Felldrake had no signal for it.

"What do we do now?"

June questioned.

Suddenly the front door fell down.

"Oops. Sorry about that."

Daisy apologized. She stepped over the door and watched as Ari fixed it.

"Where's Donald? I was at the mansion and since I didn't get an answer, I thought he'd be here?"

Everyone frowned as they looked at each other. May looked at her sisters before turning back to her aunt.

"Donald's… been captured."

Daisy gasped.

"What? Captured by who?"

José stepped forward.

"He has been captured by Felldrake."

Daisy's face scrunched up in anger.

"How dare he? Have you figured out where he is? We need to rescue him as soon as possible!"

"We?"

Panchito questioned. Daisy glared at him.

"Yes, 'we'. Donald is in danger and there is no way you are leaving me behind. Now, do you guys have a way to find him?"

José tapped his umbrella on the ground as he thought.

"Can we track him through the power of our amulets?"

Xandra grinned.

"Of, course!"

She turned to Panchito and Jose.

"You guys need to think about your connection to Donald. I don't think you'll be able to pinpoint an exact area but anything that can give us a general location would be great."

José and Panchito closed their eyes and focused. They could sense each other and focused on searching for Donald's magic instead. The pull was strangely nearby.

"That's odd… he's really close by?"

Panchito told the others. José nodded.

"It's almost as if he's still in town…"

Xandra flipped through the atlas.

"There isn't much in this area though. If Felldrake made a new evil lair, it has to be in the forest or in the mountains. What's the most notable landmark in this area, Daisy?"

Daisy thought about it.

"Well, I'd say 'Old Demon Tooth Mountain'."

May snapped her fingers.

"You're right! And if I were an evil villain who wanted to make a secret lair…"

"I'd build it on a mountain close to home with a creepy name!"

June finished her sentence.

"Alright everyone, at least we have an idea were Donald is. Now we need to get ready to storm the place."

* * *

Felldrake grinned as he used his magic to sculpt the inside of the cave. The room he was in looked almost like the one in his old basement. One of the three heads was carved along the walls and there was also a stone altar in the center. He turned around and walked to the chained figure that was glaring daggers at him. He pulled Donald up by the collar of his shirt.

"Soon, duck, your powers will be mine. You were only able to stop me because there were three of you. After today, well, that will cease to be an issue."

Sheldgoose regained control of his body.

"And I'll become president of the Quackmore Institute again!"

He started to laugh evilly but Felldrake took over again.

"Shut up and get back to work. We need time to prepare the sacrifice and get the defenses set up. I must kill him before the others arrive."

Sheldgoose reacted strongly.

"What?! I-I thought you said we were just taking his powers?"

"I am, you moron! However, in order to obtain that magic, we need every scrap, including the magic from their life force! Now, shut up and get back to work. I need to rest if I'm going to perform the magic draining ritual."

Sheldgoose regained control of his body.

"B-But wait a second! Felldrake! I don't want to k-kill anyone! I just want my presidency back!"

Felldrake took over again.

"I knew you would be too much of a coward to do what I needed you to do. His death means that the contract is void and guess who'll have the power to take the presidency back?"

Felldrake let wisps of his magic flow around Sheldgoose. As he spoke, he willed the magic to make him more suggestible and willing to Felldrake's plan. Sheldgoose's protests died down and his eyes had a slight purple tinge to them.

"That's right, if he's out of the picture, then I can become the president again!"

Felldrake, knowing Sheldgoose would continue to complete the work, retreated back into his subconscious to continue resting for the ceremony. Sheldgoose stared at the altar for a moment before shaking off his doubts and turning back to Donald. Donald watched him approach.

"Please, Sheldgoose! You don't have to do this. If you really want the presidency back we could help you. Do you really want to be a murderer?"

Sheldgoose sighed. The idea made his stomach roil but he wouldn't be able to separate from Felldrake anyway without the magic of the Caballeros.

None of this would've happened had it not been for the Caballeros. Ever since Donald trespassed on his property, it had been one disaster after the next.

His expression hardened.

That's right. It's their fault he was forced into this position in the first place.

He glared at Donald.

" _Believe me, I know. I've sunk pretty low,_

 _But everything I've done, you deserved_."

He let the magic pool into his hands.

" _I'm the bad guy that's fine,_

 _It's no fault of mine,_

 _And some justice, at last, will be served._ "

He started to form the next figure for the cave.

" _Now, it's time to stand up or it's time to back down,_

 _And there's only one answer for me._ "

He turned back to Donald and gripped him by the chin. He leaned in close.

" _And I'll stand up and fight,_

 _Cause I know that I'm right."_

He shoved him as he turned away. Donald gasped in pain as his head hit the stone wall. Sheldgoose closed his eyes and felt Felldrake's magic course through him.

 _"And I'm ready,_

 _I'm ready,_

 _I'm ready._

 _Ready as I'll ever be_."

Sheldgoose returned to preparing the area.

José and Panchito donned their armor. Everyone gathered around the two Caballeros as they prepared for battle. José turned to face the group, raising his sword in the air.

 _"Now it's time to rise up or it's time to stand down,_

 _And the answer is easy to see."_

 _And I swear by the sword,_

 _If you're in,_

 _Get on board._

 _Are you ready?"_

 _"I'm ready!"_

Daisy brandished her own sword.

" _We're ready!"_

The nieces held up a spear, staff, and a whip.

 _"We're ready!"_

They all called out at the same time. José faced Xandra and gestured at the atlas.

 _"Ready as I'll ever be."_

She held it out and teleported them halfway up the mountain. The wind was blowing fiercely, the dark clouds flickered with flashes of lightning, and rain poured from the heavens. The group began scaling the mountain.

"Make sure you keep your guard up. Who knows what defenses Felldrake is utilizing to stop us."

Xandra warned. She took up a position in the front of the group. Panchito and José took the rear, making sure that Daisy and the nieces were guarded on all sides. While the nieces were determined to save their kinda-uncle, Daisy was nervous. She wasn't an adventurer like the others.

 _"Are you quite sure we can do this?"_

The girls smiled at their aunt. April and May lightly hugged her as June pushed her forward.

 _"Together we will guarantee!"_

 _"No one can stop me!"_

Sheldgoose beheld all his hard work. The statues were carved, the altar ready. All that was left now was to sacrifice Donald Duck.

Lightning flashed as they approached the entrance to Felldrake's lair. Xandra released an arrow and blasted the door open. José led the way.

 _"We have to hurry!"_

Daisy's face hardened with determination.

 _"We'll save our world and family!"_

The group came upon a spiral staircase leading down into the mountain. They marched down the steps, weapons at the ready.

" _Now the line's in the sand,_

 _And our moments at hand!_ "

" _And I'm ready,"_

Panchito clenched his lasso to his chest.

 _"I'm ready,"_

José could feel his magic pulse in response to being near Donald's. They reached the bottom of the stairs.

 _"We're ready!"_

Sheldgoose spun on his feet and walked over to Donald. Donald mustered a glare but even Sheldgoose could see through the flimsy defense. He was terrified.

 _"Ready as I'll ever be."_


	2. Chapter 2

Sheldgoose levitated Donald onto the altar and then fused the chains to it so that he could not break free. Donald struggled to get out of the chains but no matter how hard he tugged, he could not get free. Felldrake took control and laughed as he approached him.

"How refreshing it is to see you squirming in fear. You Caballeros have been a thorn in my side for far too long! Bwa-ha-ha-ha!"

* * *

The group pushed past the door at the end of the stairwell. Leopold was blocking the hallway. He growled and immediately lunged at José and Panchito. Jose blocked his swipe with his sword and Xandra blasted him away with an arrow.

"Keep going! I'll hold him off! Just find Donald!"  
Xandra pulled back her string and formed three arrows. She launched them at Leopold and he flinched, jumping further away from the group. They continued down the mountain.

* * *

Felldrake pulled out an amulet from his pocket. It was a blue alexandrite stone amulet on a silver chain. He held the amulet up by the chain.

 _"I bind thine magic to this stone,_

 _To fuel the power of my own."_

* * *

The group burst into the next room. They gasped and dodged in different directions as a Cerberus snapped at them. June cracked her whip at the beast, forcing it backward. April pointed her spear at it and May smacked her staff against the floor, the resounding thud echoed throughout the room.

"Keep going!"

May shouted.

José and Panchito nodded and ran forward. Daisy looked at the girls.

"Are you sure you can handle this?"

June nodded.

"We've got this. They'll need you!"

Daisy ran ahead.

* * *

The amulet started glowing. Purple magic sparked and crackled around them. Donald's body started to glow the same color as the amulet.

 _"Now gather, magic as I command,_

 _So, I can fulfill my desires grand!"_

The amulet rose into the air. Donald could feel his magic responding to Felldrake's spell.

"Augh!"

He screamed in pain. His magic started to siphon out of him and collect into the amulet. Nothing had ever hurt as badly as having his life force being forcibly drained. Donald writhed in his chains.

* * *

José, Panchito, and Daisy were almost at the final door when they heard Donald scream. José wasted no time in busting it down. Daisy gasped in horror at the scene that greeted them. Felldrake was standing over Donald, cackling wildly as Donald's blue magic was sucked into the amulet above them. Panchito yelled and rushed forward, attempting to tackle him. He dodged, striking Panchito with a magical blast and knocking him back. Daisy and José charged but were parried with a sword made of magic. She jumped back but flinched when Donald shrieked in pain again. Panchito snagged Felldrake with his lasso, however, Felldrake teleported out of his hold.

"You're too late Caballeros! The ritual has already begun and once it's complete, you'll be down a member."

José's and Panchito's eyes widened in fear.

"No…" José narrowed his eyes and lunged forward again.

"We won't let you kill him!"

Their swords clashed again. Anger burned through José's veins and he put as much strength and magic as he could into his attacks. Felldrake parried the majority but he was being forced back with each strike.

"Donald! We'll save you!"

Panchito ran up to the altar and tried to slide the chains off of his friend. Daisy ran over and tried to cut them with her sword, to no avail. She glanced at Felldrake, then to Donald, and finally, onto the trail of magic that led to the amulet.

"Panchito! It's the amulet! You need to destroy the amulet!"

He nodded and swung his lasso at the object.

"No!" Felldrake yelled. He teleported beside Panchito and tackled him to the ground. Panchito managed to wrestle himself on top of Felldrake and pinned him down. It didn't last long though as Felldrake teleported out of the hold. José joined back in on the fray.

Thoughts whipped around in Daisy's mind as she watched the battle. Her attention was brought back to her boyfriend when he moaned in pain.

"Donald! You're okay, I promise we'll get you out of this."

She cooed at him. Her hand brushed the feathers on his head. He had become too exhausted to

"It's okay. You'll be okay. We're going to save you and then you'll be able to beat him."

She wasn't sure if she was trying to reassure Donald or herself at this point. He was getting weaker every second. She bit her feathers and glanced around the room. There had to be something she could do to help him. Daisy turned to Donald. He didn't look like he could last any longer. She took a deep breath and held out her sword.

Felldrake laughed as he caged José and Panchito in a magic bubble.

"You fools! Without the three of you, you could never hope to stop me. Don't worry though your friend though, you'll be ne- augh!"

Daisy slashed his back with her sword. The bubble popped as Felldrake's concentration broke. Panchito used the distraction to lasso the amulet and yank it down. The amulet smashed into pieces the moment it hit the ground. The magic in the air dissipated.

"No, no, no, no, no! I was supposed to win! Curse you, Caballeros!" Felldrake shouted, before disappearing.

Panchito sighed in relief and José rested a hand on his shoulder.

"You did it!  
The two walked up to the altar. Donald's eyes were closed and his breathing was shallow.

"Donald? Wake up! The spell has been broken!"

Panchito shook him gently in an attempt to rouse him. Daisy slowly approached the altar.

"Donald?"

She watched as Panchito tried to wake him again. Xandra and the girls ran into the room.

"Did you guys beat him? Felldrake took Leopold and fled!"

Xandra questioned. She looked at the altar and noticed Donald.

"Oh, no… Don't tell me he's…"

They all gathered around Donald. Daisy took his hand in hers and felt his pulse. It was faint.

"Xandra, we need to get home now. He's barely alive. What do you know about magic drain?"

She hummed as she flipped pages in the atlas.

"The only way to stop magic drain is to destroy the item the magic is being sealed into. The problem is, Felldrake did his homework and used Donald's traditional birthstone. That makes the ritual far more powerful. I think at this point the only thing we can do is just take him home and let him rest."

Jose and Panchito gently sat him up and guide his hands over the shoulders. Once they were carrying him, Xandra teleported them home.

* * *

Bear Rug rushed to clear the sofa when the group returned. Ari made tea and served everyone a cup to help ease their nerves. Everyone in their ragtag family wanted to do more for Donald. In the end, they resigned themselves to watching and waiting.

May sighed as she looked away from her kinda-uncle to his best friends. She noticed that they had not taken off their ancestors' armor. That gave her an idea.

"You guys are connected by your ancestors, right? What if you tried to share some of your magic with him? Do you think that will help his recovery?"

José and Panchito shrugged and extended their hands over him. They took a deep breath and concentrated on sharing their magic with him. As the last of their magic wisped into Donald, everything went silent again. Everyone watched Donald with baited breath.

"Nngh."

Donald groaned. The others jumped in surprise. Donald's eyes fluttered and cracked open slightly.

"Ugh, what happened?"

"DONALD!"

He squawked as José and Panchito jumped him. Daisy let out a relieved sigh as the rest of the group started to cheer.

"Oh, I'm so glad you're alright meu amigo!" Jose nuzzled his beak against Donald's face. Panchito wrapped his arms around them both and lifted them into the air.

"We're the Three Caballeros once more!"

He cawed. Donald sighed and waited for Panchito to set them back down on the couch.

"What happened anyway? The only thing I remember is being in the cave."

Xandra kneeled beside the couch and hugged him.

"Felldrake tried to take your magic and seal it into an amulet so that it would amplify his own powers. However, the magic is a part of you. To be forcibly drained of your magic like that would kill you. Luckily, we were able to stop him but he got really close."

Daisy hugged him from behind the couch.

"Oh, it was just horrible seeing you like that! I'm so glad you're alright!"

Donald smiled and shifted so he could hug her back.

"Aww, you guys!"

Everyone smiled as Daisy kissed Donald on the cheek and he blushed bright red. Even though Felldrake escaped, at least their family was together again.


End file.
